Action Unit Combinations 6+43E, 7+43E

A. Appearance Changes due to AU Combinations 6+43E, 7+43E

Both combinations involve a closed eye (AU 43E) with the addition of tightening of the muscles around the eye. These two combinations are best learned by considering them together.

6+43E

7+43E

1. The eyes are closed.

2. Skin around a larger circumference than in 7+43E is pulled towards the eye.

3. Infraorbital triangle raised, crow's feet wrinkles, and infraorbital furrow may deepen. Due to the raising of the infraorbital triangle there may be bagging, or wrinkling of skin below the lower eyelid.

4. The eyebrows may be lowered to a limited extent.

1. The eyes are closed.

2. Skin below the lower eyelid is pulled towards the root of the nose.

3. Lower eyelid furrow may become more evident.

The presence of AU 7 in the combination 6+7+43E may be difficult to detect. If you are in doubt about whether AU 7 is present with 6+43E, score 6+43E. Compare the AU 43E in image 43iii with images 6+43E and 7+43E. Identify the differences between 6+43E and 7+43E. Although the brows are lowered in image 6+43E, the face is not scored as 4+6+43E. To score AU 4 in addition to AU 6, the brows must also be drawn together. See 4+6 vs. 6 in Table 2-1 on page 41. Also inspect the video of 6+43E and 7+43E. The video shows 6+43E, then 7+43E.

B. How to do AU Combinations 6+43E and 7+43E

You may be able to perform these actions with one eye and look at yourself in the mirror with the other eye. Often, however, people cannot do such unilateral actions, or cannot do them without muscle spasms. If that is the case, inspect this action on another person. Close your eyes and relax completely, so you do just AU 43E. Then tighten AU 7 so that the skin of the lids and below the lower lid tightens, pulling up and in towards the root of the nose. Then squeeze harder, adding AU 6 so that the infraorbital triangle raises, and crow's feet wrinkles appear. Instructions for AUs 6 and 7 are repeated below.

AU 7 (repeated from page 28): This movement is fairly easy to do. Tense your eyelids but not enough to close your eyelids completely. Do it as weakly as you can. If you have difficulty, think about narrowing your eye aperture to a slit so that you can see your eyelashes. Be careful you are not also lowering your eyebrow (AU 4). Be careful you are not also wrinkling your nose (AU 9). Be careful you are not also raising your cheeks (AU 6).

AU 6 (repeated from page 32): This action is difficult to produce on demand without including other actions, especially 7. Concentrate on lifting your cheeks without actively raising up the lip corners (that is AU 12). Take time in trying this Action Unit as it may not be possible to do it at first. If you have difficulty:

· Try making AU 15 (see the AU 15 description on page 100). While holding 15 on your face try to lift your cheeks upwards. Once you can do 6+15, try 6 alone.

· Try AU 9 (see the AU 9 description on page 93), while holding it on your face add 6. Once you can do 6+9, try 6 alone.

· Try AU 12 (see the AU 12 description on page 178), note what happens around your eyes. Now try to do that same appearance without moving your lip corners.

· Try winking, using your cheek in the wink. Note how your cheek lifts. Now do that cheek lift without the wink.

· Try squinting your eyes as though to block out a bright sun, and although this motivation is likely to produce AUs 4 and 7 as well, you can refine these movements to exclude all but AU 6.

C. Intensity Scoring for AU Combinations 6+43E and 7+43E

The intensity criteria for scoring AU 6 in the combination of 6+43E are not changed from AU 6 alone. The criteria for scoring AU 43E in these combinations are altered only slightly for bilateral versions of these combinations, but the criteria for intensity scoring of AU 7 are changed significantly in its combination with AU 43E.

If the signs of AU 6 can be scored with 43, then be sure you can see the contribution of AU 7 independently of AU 6 in the form of lower lid tightening and upward movement of the lower eyelid when you are considering scoring 6+7+43E.